How to Construct a Bocce Ball Court

By Brian Richards ; Updated April 12, 2017

Bocce ball is a game that can either be played on a standard lawn or on a specially made bocce ball court. Because there is no official regulated size of bocce ball courts, you can construct one in almost any area. The ideal size for a court, however, is 12 feet wide and at least 60 feet long. While side walls are not necessary in a bocce ball court, you may find that short walls help to prevent balls from rolling away. The walls can be made of any solid material, but wood is suitable for most environments.

Join your wooden boards together with nails to form the perimeter of your bocce ball court. Your dimensions will likely be dictated by your space restrictions, but try to create a perimeter that is approximately 12 feet wide and at least 60 feet long.

Press your perimeter boards into the ground at least 4 inches. The boards should rise approximately 1 foot from the ground. Tap the boards with a hammer to ease them into the dirt.

Secure perimeter boards with 4-inch by 4-inch wooden stakes spaced approximately 4 feet apart. Tap the wooden stakes into the ground with a hammer, and secure the perimeter boards to the stake with nails.

Fill the court with 3 inches of gravel or other crushed stone. This will give your court a solid, flat foundation upon which to rest. If the ground you are building the court on is uneven, distribute the gravel evenly across the surface to create a flat support. You may utilize a level to assist you if necessary, however perfect flatness is not a requirement.

Top the gravel with 3 inches of crushed limestone to aid with drainage. Limestone will prevent water accumulation on and inside the court, which may lead to cracks or unevenness in the court's surface.

Pour a 1-inch layer of tennis clay over the top of the gravel and crushed limestone. The tennis clay will form the smooth surface of your bocce ball court.

Water the court until the tennis clay is moist but not soaked. This will cause the tennis clay to cure and form a resilient and flat surface. Alternatively, you can also use rainwater to cure the tennis clay.

Smooth out any cracks or unevenness in the surface of your court with a garden rake. If you notice any substantial dips or unevenness, add additional tennis clay and apply more water.

Things Needed

2-inch thick lumber boards

4-inch by 4-inch wooden posts

Hammer

Nails

Gravel

Crushed limestone

Tennis clay

Garden rake

Tip

Cracks in the tennis clay means that your clay is curing properly. Continue to smooth any cracks with a garden rake until they stop appearing. Once cracks are no longer seen, the court is ready for use.

Retain extra tennis clay to fix any divots or cracks that appear in the court's surface during play. Bocce balls are fairly heavy and will likely damage the court after use. Pour extra clay over any cracks and smooth with a garden rake.

References

About the Author

Brian Richards is an attorney whose work has appeared in law and philosophy journals and online in legal blogs and article repositories. He has been a writer since 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from University of California, San Diego and a Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark School of Law.